Updated Jul 2026

Michigan Fishing Guide

98 documented fish species across 348 graded Michigan lakes. Filter the map by species, then find the cleanest-graded water for what you want to catch.

Michigan Fish Map

Every Michigan lake with a documented fishery, colored by water-quality grade. Pick a species to see only the lakes that hold it.

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Best-Graded Lakes by Species

Top Michigan game species, ranked by water-quality grade. Nobody else grades the water under the fish.

Fish Species in Michigan

Every documented species, grouped by type. Each links to the best-graded Michigan lakes for that fish.

Game Fish

Largemouth Bass 172 Smallmouth Bass 117 Northern Pike 99 Walleye 44 Muskellunge 10 White Bass 4 Sauger 3

Panfish

Yellow Perch 203 Bluegill 178 Pumpkinseed 145 Rock Bass 117 Green Sunfish 87 Black Crappie 61 Warmouth 24

Trout, Salmon & Coldwater

Lake Whitefish 22 Rainbow Trout 14 Brook Trout 12 Lake Sturgeon 6 Brown Trout 3 Lake Trout 3 Round Whitefish 2 Atlantic Salmon 1

Catfish & Bullhead

Yellow Bullhead 78 Brown Bullhead 50 Black Bullhead 28 Flathead Catfish 1

Other Species

Bluntnose Minnow 171 Iowa Darter 131 White Sucker 121 Lake Herring 117 Western Banded Killifish 116 Johnny Darter 109 Blacknose Shiner 91 Golden Shiner 77 Sand Shiner 76 Blackchin Shiner 73 Mimic Shiner 68 Northern Longear Sunfish 68 Common Shiner 64 Central Mudminnow 60 Northern Logperch 53 Grass Pickerel 46 Creek Chub 46 Brook Silverside 45 Spottail Shiner 43 Longnose Gar 43 Mottled Sculpin 30 Hornyhead Chub 28 Spotted Gar 26 Lake Chubsucker 24 Spotfin Shiner 21 Tadpole Madtom 20 Rosyface Shiner 20 Brook Stickleback 20 Least Darter 18 Bowfin 18 Fathead Minnow 18 Striped Shiner 16 Redear Sunfish 16 Golden Redhorse 15 Northern Pearl Dace 15 Rainbow Smelt 15 Emerald Shiner 14 Blackstripe Topminnow 13 Burbot 13 Blackside Darter 12 Northern Redbelly Dace 11 Central Stoneroller 10 Trout-perch 9 Shorthead Redhorse 7 Rainbow Darter 7 Brassy Minnow 7 Silver Lamprey 7 Western Blacknose Dace 6 Common Carp 6 Bigmouth Shiner 6 Chestnut Lamprey 5 Ninespine Stickleback 5 Silver Redhorse 5 Slimy Sculpin 4 Brindled Madtom 4 Finescale Dace 4 Pugnose Shiner 3 American Brook Lamprey 3 Longnose Sucker 3 Spotted Sucker 3 Northern Hog Sucker 2 Greater Redhorse 2 Greenside Darter 1 Silver Shiner 1 American Eel 1 Freshwater Drum 1 Barred Fantail Darter 1 Alewife 1 Deepwater Sculpin 1 Starhead Topminnow 1 Weed Shiner 1 Shortjaw Cisco 1

Michigan Fishing by County

Lakes with a documented fishery, by county.

Grand Traverse County

State agency lake survey reports

Michigan Fishing License

2026 fees and where to buy

Michigan Fishing Regulations

Seasons, limits, and special regs

Where to stay for a Michigan fishing trip

Top-rated places to stay near Michigan lakes

Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What fish are in Michigan lakes?

Michigan lakes have 98 documented fish species across 348 graded lakes. The most common are Yellow Perch, Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, Bluntnose Minnow, Pumpkinseed, Iowa Darter.

What are the best fishing lakes in Michigan?

The best Michigan fishing lakes pair a documented fishery with a high water-quality grade. Use the species filter on the map, or the best-by-species tables, to find A- and B-graded lakes for your target species.

Where does the Michigan fish data come from?

Fish species are documented by state agency survey, stocking, and public fishing-access records, joined to each lake's EPA water-quality grade. It reflects documented presence, not a guarantee every species is currently catchable.

Fish species from state agency survey, stocking, and public fishing-access records; water-quality grades from the EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys.